Zelda Venter
PRETORIA: While the world is gearing up for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in August, jail is looming large for former hero Oscar Pistorius.
If the State had its way, Oscar would long be behind bars by now, and for a very long time. The athlete’s legal team is expected to pull out all the stops this week to try to convince Judge Thokozile Masipa not to sentence Pistorius to the prescribed minimum of 15 years.
On Monday will be the first time Judge Masipa comes face to face with Oscar since sending him to jail for culpable homicide. The head of his legal team, Barry Roux SC, will today call witnesses and present expert reports to the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria to prove compelling and substantial circumstances warranting a lesser sentence.
Legal expert Francois Botes said if the judge found mitigating factors in favour of Oscar, she could mete out any sentence she deemed appropriate, even a suspended sentence.
But chances are slim that the Blade Runner would avoid a jail sentence, Botes said. Even if the judge was sympathetic towards him, chances were good that the State could appeal what they deem to be an inappropriate sentence.
Oscar’s options are running out and the only lifeline left to him is to appeal against what he may perceive as too harsh a sentence.
This will be the second time Oscar faces sentencing following the events of Valentine’s Day 2013 when he fired four shots into the toilet door of his luxury home in a security estate east of Pretoria.
Behind the door was his model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. She died in Oscar’s arms, as he frantically carried her down the staircase of his home to summons help. Judge Masipa accepted Pistorius had not meant to kill her